Hydroxylated steroids



United States Patent HYDROXYLATED STEROIDS David H. Gould, Leonia, and Elliot L. Shapiro, Irvington, N. J., assignors to Schering Corporation, Bloomfield, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Application January 14, 1957, Serial No. 633,851

9 Claims. (Cl. 260397.45)

This invention relates to a new group of hydroxylated steroids which are useful in the treatment of arthritis and similar inflammatory diseases. More particularly, our invention relates to G-hydroxy derivatives of 91xfluoroprednisone, 9a-fluoroprednisolone and their esters.

Our new compounds may be represented by the following formula:

wherein X is a member of the group consisting of O and (H, OH), and R is a member of the group consisting of carboxylic acid radicals of lower alkanoic acids and acyl residues described below.

The new compound of the general formula, solely for the purpose of the present discussion, may be considered as evolving from 9oc-fluoroprednisone (9a-fluoro-1,4- pregnadiene-17a,2l-diol-3,11,20-trione) or 9a-fluoroprednisolone (9u-fluoro-1,4-pregnadiene-l 1,8,17a,2 l-triol- 3,20-dione). 9ot-fluoroprednisolone is known to be a potent gluco-corticoid supposedly useful in the treatment of inflammatory processes, such as rheumatoid arthritis. The high mineralocorticoid effect of 9et-fluoroprednisolone influences electrolyte balance and causes severe edematous conditions, thus preventing its use in the treatment of arthritis. We have found that the introduction of an oxygen function, i. e., a hydroxyl group or an ester thereof into the 6-position of 9a-fluoroprednisone or 9a-fluoroprednisolone, reduces the mineralocorticoid activity to an innocuous level without concomitant alteration of the glucocorticoid activity. Thus, the new compounds of our invention exhibit a favor-able therapeutic ratio and provide for agents which are useful in treatment and alleviation of inflammatory conditions.

Further to their therapeutic use per se, the new 6-hydroxylated steroids of our invention may be converted by dehydration into a 1,4,6-pregnatriene which, as described in Union of South Africa, Patent No. 1579/56, is also a potent anti-inflammatory agent. The conversion of the 6-hydroxy compounds of the invention to the pregnatrienes may be carried out by reacting a 21-ester of a compound of the general formula with a sulfonating agent, such as p-toluenesulfonyl chloride in pyridine whereupon there is obtained the corresponding 6-tosyla-te. Heating the tosylate with a high boiling base such as refluxing diethyl aniline, aflords the therapeutically active triene. Specifically, from 9u-fiuoro-1,4-pregnadiene- 6,170L,21-irli-3,l1,20-t1'l0116 21-ester, there is obtained ice 9a fluoro-1,4,6-pregnatriene-17a, 2l-diol-3,ll,20-trione 21-ester.

The compounds of our invention may be used in the form of their ester derivatives of the 6- and 2l-hydroxyl groups. Both groups may be esterified, or preferably the 2l-position is esterified. As has been generally found in the art, esterification is of some value in extending the duration of activity, as evidenced by the properties of an acetate, propionate, iso-valerate, enanthate, cyclopenthylpropionate and the like. In addition to aliphatic esters, we have found that other esters, such as phenoxyacetates and substituted phenoxyacetates, such as 4-chloro-, 2-dichloro-, 4-bromo-, 4-methyl, 4-t. butyl, 2,4,5-trichloroand 4-methoxyphenoxyacetates are of particular value. In addition, we have found that furoates including 5- bromo-, 5-chloro-, S-methyl and 5-t. butyl furoates increase the duration of activity over the un-esterified steroid.

For the most part, the esters recited above, are water insoluble. We have found that water soluble derivatives at C-21 and/or at C-6, such as salts of esters of the steroid with acids such as succinic, phathalic, sulfonic, phosphoric, glycinic and the like, allow for the preparation of a water soluble derivative.

The new compounds of our invention may be administered orally in the form of tablets or capsules, parenterally as aqueous or oral suspensions or solutions, or they may be applied topically in the form of lotions, ointments or suspensions.

Although the present art has developed to the extent that there are a multitude of paths leading to the formation of the compounds of our invention, we prefer to use, as starting material, the corresponding 6-desoxy steroid. We introduce an oxygen function into the 6-position by first effecting a B-halogenation upon a 3-keto-l,4-pregnadiene, such as by reacting the Zl-acetate of 9ot-ll11010- prednisolone with N-bromosuccinimide. The intermediary 6-bromo compound is acyloxylated in a known manner, such as by reaction with potassium acetate, whereupon there is obtained the corresponding 6-acetoxy compound.

Hydrolysis of the ester groups may be carried out chemically, or preferably microbiologically, by means of the microorganism Flavobacterium dehydrogenans var. hydrolyticum according to analogous procedures described in Union of South Africa, Patent No. 3462/ 5 5.

We have found that in compounds of the general formula, the 2l-position is selectively esterified in preference to the 6-position and thus under a prescribed set of conditions, at 21-ester may be prepared. By increasing the quantity of acylating agent, and raising the temperature of reaction, esterification at more than one hydroxylated position is effected.

The following examples illustrate methods for the preparation of the new compounds of our invention. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that other methods which are obviously chemical equivalents may be applied with similar advantage.

The following examples are illustrative of our invention:

I. 6-br0mo-9u-flu0r0prednis0ne 21 acetate Ten grams of 9a-fluoroprednisone 21-acetate is dissolved at reflux in 2400 ml. of chlorobenzene and 2400 ml. of carbon tetrachloride. ml. of solvent is distilled off to dry the apparatus and argon gas is bubbled in to displace air. N-bromosuccinimide (5.4 g.) is added along with 200 mg. of benzoyl peroxide and the mixture is refluxed and irradiated with a 300-watt photoflood lamp for 30 minutes. Water is added and the mixture is extracted with methylene chloride. The organic layer after washingneutral with water is evaporated in a draft at room temperature, and the amorphous residue (12 g.), consisting of the 6-bromo compound of this example, is used directly in the next step.

II. 6-acet0xy-9a-flu0roprednisone 21-acetate 2.98 ,u, 5.75 ,u, 5.85;t, 6.03 ,u., 6.14, 6.22 a, 8.10, 9.59, 9.65. Crystallization from ethylacetate of the fraction eluted with 1% methanol in methylene chloride alIords the isomeric steroid (with respect to the 6-position) having a similar infrared spectrum of functional group bands.

A mixture is prepared of 1 g. of yeast extract concentrate and 1 ml. each of 2 M. potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 2 M. disodium phosphate in each 100 ml. Ten Erlenmeyer flasks (300 ml.) containing 100 ml. each are sterilized and inoculated with Flavobacterium dehydrogenans var. hydrolyticum. The flasks are shaken at 30 for 16 hours, and to each is added a solution of 50 mg. of the main product of Example II in 5 ml. of methanol. The cultures are shaken at 30 for 24 hours and the combined broths are extracted three times with 300 ml. of methylene chloride. The extracts are dried, filtered and evaporated to dryness. The residue is crystallized from acetone-hexane yielding the above identified product,

Nu iol max 2.92, 299 ,u, 5.86 p, 6.02 p, 6.14, 6.23 ,u, 9.50, 967.

IV. 9cc-flu0r0prednis0l0ne, I 1,17,21-triacetate Ten grams of 9u-fiuoroprednisolone 21-acetate is dissolved in 150 ml. of acetic acid and 150 ml. of acetic anhydride and treated with 1.25 g. of p-toluenesulfonic acid. The mixture is shaken and stirred for 48 hours at room temperature and poured into water (1.5 1.). After standing for 3 hours, the crystalline product is filtered off, dried at 60 C. and recrystallized from acetone-hexane, M. 'P. 220-222,

V. 6-br0m0-9ot-flu0r0prednisolone triacetate The product of this example is obtained by reacting 10 g. of the product of Example IV, with 4.3 g. of N bromosuccinimide according to the procedure of Example-I,

E552 240 Ill .t

VI. 6-acel0xy-9ot-fluoroprednisolone triacetate The process of Example 11 is applied to 10 g. of the product of Example V. Chromatography of the reaction product on activated magnesium silicate gives the tetraacetate in the fraction eluted with 100% methylene chloride. On crystallization from acetone-hexane, it shows xNniol Inn 5.71, 5.75 n, 5.79 t, 6.01 n, 6.14, 6.22 ,u, 8.17 ,u', 9.57, 9. 62 The fraction eluted with 0.5% methanol in methylene chloride is crystallized from ethyl acetate to give'the other 6-isomer having the same functional bands in the infrared spectrum.

The procedure of Example III is applied to the product of Example VI, (eluted with 100% methylene chloride) fermenting for 48 hours. Crystallization of the extracted residue from acetone affords the compound of this example.

VIII. 9ec-flu0r0-1,4-pregnadiene-6,1 7 0;,21 -tri0l-3,I I ,20- trione 21 -acetate A sample of 2 g. of the product of Example III is dissolved in 50 ml. of dry pyridine and poured onto 0.55 g. of acetic anhydride in an anhydrous atmosphere. The solution is stirred for 30 minutes and poured into dilute sulfuric acid in ice. The precipitate is filtered off, dried and crystallized from methanol to give 9a-fluoro- 1,4-pregnadiene-6,l7u,21-triol-3,11,20-trione 21-acetate.

In the same manner as in Example VIII using 500 mg. of the product of Example VII in 15 ml. of pyridine and 140 mg. ofacetic anhydride, the product of this example is obtained which is crystallized from acetone to give cfluoro-l,4-pregnadiene-6,1113,17a,21-tetrol,3,20-dione 21- acetate.

A sample of 1.0 g. of the product of Example VIII is dissolved in 50 ml. of dry pyridine. To the solution is added 1 g. of benzoyl chloride and the mixture is stirred for one hour. The solution is poured into aqueous sulfuric acid and ice, and the precipitate which forms is filtered ofi, washed with water and dried. The material is crystallized from acetone-methanol to give 9a-fiuoro-l,4- pregnadiene-6,17u,21-trio1-3,11,20-trione 6-benzoate 21- acetate.

A sample of 0.1 g. of the product of Example IX is treated as in Example X with mg. of p-toluenesulfonyl chloride. The mixture is stirred one hour at room temperature and the precipitate formed on pouring into aqueous sulfuric acid is filtered ofi", dried and crystallized from acetone-hexane to give 9a-fiuoro-1,4-pregnadiene 6,11B,17ot,21-t6l10l3,20-di011 6-p-toluenesulfonate 21- acetate.

XII. 9a-flu0r0-I,4,6-pregnatriene-17u,2I-di0l-3,1I,20- trione 21 -acetate XIII. Qa-fluoro-I,4,6-pregnatriene-I1 8,17u,2I-tri0l-3,20- dione 21 -acetate A sample of 200 mg. of the product of Example X1 is treated as in Example XII with 5 ml. of refluxing 2,4,6- collidine. The product is chromatographed and the fraction' eluted with 0.1% methanol in methylene chloride, is crystallized from ethyl acetate to give 9u-fluor0-l,4,6- pregnatriene l 1,3,17a,21-triol-3,20-dione ZI-acetate, showing an ultraviolet spectrum with x max=222, 253, 295 my) in methanol.

5 We claim: 1. Steroid compounds having the following structural formula:

wherein X is a member of the group consisting of O and (H,OH) and R is a member of the group consisting of H and lower alkanoic acid radicals.

2. Steroid compounds having the formula:

wherein R is a lower alkanoic acid radical.

3. Steroid compounds having the formula:

CHaOR 6 wherein R is a lower alkanoic acid radical.

4. Steroid compounds having the formula:

CHIOR 15 wherein R is a lower alkanoic acid radical.

5. Steroid compounds having the formula:

CHaOR 6. 9a-fluoro-1,4-pregnadiene-6,11p,17a,21-tetro1-3,20-dione.

7. 9a-fluoro-1,4-pregnadiene 6,17a,21-triol-3,1l,20-trione.

8. 9a-fluoro-1,4-pregnadiene-6,11B,17a,21-tetrol-3,20-dione ZI-acetate.

9. 9a-fluoro-l,4-pregnadiene-6,11,8,17,21-tetrol-3,20-dione 6,21-diacetate.

No references cited. 

1. STEROID COMPOUNDS HAVING THE FOLLOWIG STRUCTURAL FORMULA: 